


The Inevitable

by CivilRogers



Category: Captain America - All Media Types, Marvel, Marvel (Comics), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Action/Adventure, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Bucky Barnes Needs a Hug, Death, Everyone Needs A Hug, Hurt Bucky Barnes, Hurt Natasha Romanov, Hurt Steve Rogers, Hurt Wanda Maximoff, In a good way tho, Major Character Injury, Marvel but it's all sorts of messed up, Multi, Original Character Death(s), Original Character(s), Possible Character Death, Post-Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Steve Rogers Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-16
Updated: 2020-03-25
Packaged: 2020-10-28 19:13:50
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,631
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20783696
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CivilRogers/pseuds/CivilRogers
Summary: It's been six months since Steve came back, and Bucky and Sam still take care of him, waiting it out until they finally reach the end of the line. Somehow, though, something feels... off. Their suspicions are correct, too; the Steve they thought they knew was an impostor. The real Steve is found imprisoned in a world no one had ever seen before, locked up with a couple of unlikely inmates. Bucky couldn't be happier to have Steve back, but it raises one burning question: Who is behind his imprisonment, and... will it get worse from here?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey! If you're here to have fun and read this like a good samaritan, cool! Have fun! If you're here to leave hate, do it. I fear no God.

Getting Steve back was the worst thing to ever happen to Bucky. It almost seemed selfish to him, leaving a close friend behind for some woman. But, then again, Peggy Carter wasn't just any woman. She definitely suited Steve's needs far more than Bucky ever could. Besides, who was Bucky to try and criticize Steve for just wanting to live a life of his own?

And yet, still. Bucky could've provided him that life, too...

Waking up that morning was a bit rougher than usual. Bucky had no alarm set - the noise startled him, so he relied on either Sam or his internal clock to wake him up at a reasonable time. He woke up late, though. Later than what he wanted. Still, he went about his daily routine before heading into the kitchen for some coffee. Sam sat at the island counter, scrolling through his phone (most likely to read some news articles) and sipping on some coffee of his own.

"Mornin'," Sam greeted, failing to look up from his phone.

"Hey," Bucky said roughly as he prepared his coffee. "Why didn't you wake me up?"

"I did. You grumbled somethin' about not wantin' to get up, though, so I let you sleep." This time, he looked up at Bucky with a sly smirk. Bucky wasn't too surprised, honestly. That sounded like him. He just didn't remember it.

"Well, thanks, I guess." Bucky poured some water into the pot and closed the lid, letting the drink brew. "Are we goin' to see Steve today?"

"Depends on if you want to."

"I'm fine with it."

Sam shrugged. "We can, then. Gotta run a few errands and then I'll pick you up on my way over there, yeah?"

"Sure."

"Alright, pal."

Bucky smiled softly. It was nice to be called that by someone other than Steve. Bucky knew it was wrong for him to be so angry, and yet... Why did it have to happen? Then again, it didn't necessarily _have _to. Steve _chose _to leave. Maybe that was what made Bucky so angry. The man made a conscious decision to leave everyone behind. 

Some hours went by before Sam came back for Bucky, and together they set out for Steve's house. Bucky was surprised Steve was still spry enough to live on his own, but, then again, the serum probably had something to do with that. It was a cute little house, Bucky had to admit. Time had worn it down a tad, but Steve took good care of it from what Bucky could tell. According to Steve, Peggy used to grow various flowers out front that had eventually died, and, as Steve said, he didn't exactly have much of a green thumb to keep it up. 

"It hurts to let something Peggy created die like that," Steve had said before.

_Well, you know what else hurts? Being left behind by your best friend. But I can't say anything about that._

"Ready?" Sam asked, looking to Bucky from the driver's seat. Bucky simply nodded, and they headed to the front door. Sam was the one who rang the doorbell while Bucky kept completely still. He almost looked too stiff. When the door opened, he really _was _that.

"Well, I can't say I'm surprised." Steve smiled and leaned forward on his cane, looking to the two kindly. "Good to see you." He beckoned the two inside. "I was just about to put a kettle on if you'd like some tea." Then, looking to Bucky, he smirked. "Earl gray, right?"

Bucky couldn't help but feel disgusted. Steve was _wrong. _He found himself able to calm down quickly, though; Steve was old and probably losing his memory. He'd cut him some slack. But still, he very bitterly answered, "No. English breakfast."

Steve's smile fell before he looked away, clearing his throat quietly. "That was Peggy's favorite, too," he said.

_Of course you'd know that._

While Sam and Bucky sat at the kitchen counter, Steve sifted through his teabags. "I'm not sure if I have anymore English breakfast left," he said, "What else do you like, Buck?"

_Don't you dare call me that. _"Green, black, peppermint..." Bucky shrugged, though his face remained blank. "I'm not picky."

Steve nodded and continued to sift through the tea. Sam wasn't saying much. Maybe he could sense the tension between the two as much as Bucky could. 

"Anything new happen lately, old man?" Sam asked, turning to Steve with a smile. Steve looked at him, but didn't return the smile. In fact, his face seemed blank despite the smiles he had given them before, Bucky noted. It almost seemed fake. Something was definitely off about him.

"Not really," Steve replied. "Just the usual day-to-day stuff... They're still trying to shuffle me into a nursing home."

"And you're not gonna go?"

"No." Steve shook his head. "I'd rather be here when my time comes, at home." Hearing that didn't set well with Bucky. _When my time comes. _They were supposed to go together. They weren't supposed to leave each other behind. That wasn't how their story was supposed to end. They were supposed to be with each other until _the end of the line. _Steve couldn't leave without taking Bucky with him. And yet, he did.

"You okay, Bucky?" Sam's voice suddenly piped up. Bucky looked over and saw Sam looking at him rather worriedly. Steve was looking at him, too, but with less concern and more... suspicion?

"I'm fine," Bucky claimed. "This morning was just a little rough." They were silent for a few seconds before Bucky spoke again. "I'm heading to the bathroom. I'll be right back."

Looking in the mirror, Bucky was almost startled with how he looked, and not just because of the haircut and clean shave. He liked all of that, actually. Made him feel more like his old self. No, what he didn't like was how betrayed and _heartbroken _he looked. Did he always look like this around Steve nowadays? He decided to wash his hands and face for a reason he couldn't explain. He just felt like he had to do something. He supposed it had taken longer than he expected, because soon he heard a knock on the door.

"You okay in there, man?" Sam asked through the door, and Bucky just sighed.

"Come in," he answered, because he knew that was what Sam wanted to hear. He walked in and leaned on the counter, that same worried look painting his face.

"What's wrong with you?" Sam asked quietly. "I've never seen you look more angry with someone in my life."

"Well, can you blame me?" Bucky scoffed. "He left me and now he's acting like I'm supposed to be okay with this."

"I thought you two talked it over before he left."

"As if he'd take no for an answer, Sam. I couldn't just... I couldn't argue with him. I never could."

"Well, that's something for you two to brush over. I don't think you wanna have all this hanging over your head when he goes."

Bucky sighed and looked down at the counter, flesh hand wrapped around the edge of it. Sam was right. He wanted to feel nothing but tenderness and love when he was telling Steve goodbye. Letting all this anger and resentment fester wouldn't do any of them any good. They had to have a talk. They had to-

_What the hell was that?_

It sounded like a strange, low shriek - something Bucky had never heard before, and there was no way that the noise could have come from Steve. As if on impulse, he and Sam were rushing out of the restroom to investigate. In the kitchen, they found Steve bent over the counter, hands clasped over the left side of his face.

"What happened?!" Sam asked, taking a step forward until Steve shouted something to stop him.

"No!" Steve turned the side of his face that he was holding away from the two, slowly lowering his hands. "I'm fine..."

"What was that all about, man?" Sam shouted. "Scared the hell outta me!"

"it was nothing," Steve answered simply. "It... happens sometimes. Trust me. I'm fine." But when Steve straightened up to face Sam and Bucky, Bucky felt his stomach flip at the sight. Steve's left eye was pure white, as if it had rolled all the way to the back of his head.

"Steve..." Bucky muttered, finally talking to the man now, but only because he was confused as could be. "What's wrong with your...?"

"What?" Steve turned to look over at his refrigerator, the stainless steel showing his reflection clearly. He looked almost as shocked as Sam and Bucky were, but almost... angry at the same time. "Dammit!" His head snapped back to Sam and Bucky in a nonhuman fashion. It almost made Bucky sick to see Steve behave in such a way. "You need to go."

"Steve-" Sam attempted to argue, but-

_"I said get the fuck out!"_

Bucky was convinced at this point. The blank stares, the way he didn't seem to remember a thing about Bucky, the strange movements and the way he'd usher friends out a mere thirty minutes into a visit. This wasn't the first time things like this had happened, but nothing to this extreme. There was nothing left to hide. This wasn't Steve.

"Who are you?" Bucky insisted, to which Sam gave him a confused, surprised look.

"Bucky, you need to go," Steve snarled. He... _It... _was starting to sound less and less like Steve.

Bucky put a hand over his gun holster - he wasn't licensed for concealed carry, but he'd be damned if he didn't have a pistol on him at all times. "No. Who _are you?"_

At this point, the impostor was shouting at them even louder, and somehow began to lose Steve's features while still looking like him. "You don't want to do this, James. Get out of my house."

"This isn't your house, you bastard." Bucky pulled the pistol out of its holster, cocking it with ease. "And you're not Steve. You have five seconds to tell me who you are."

"What the hell are you talking about?!" the impostor yelled.

Bucky put his finger on the trigger, and that was when Sam stepped in. "Bucky, wait-"

"Tell me who you are!"

"I'm Steve! You know this! You've done lost your mind again and that's probably why Steve never loved you in the first place-!"

_BANG!_

There was a long silence after the impostor fell to the ground, like neither Sam nor Bucky knew what to do.

"That..." Sam began quietly.

"That was never Steve."

They stepped around the counter to examine the body. One thing was for sure: It wasn't at all how they left it. The impostor had... morphed into some strange creature. It had green skin and strangely pointed ears, almost resembling that of a goblin. It wasn't of Earth, for damn sure. That wasn't what had Bucky feeling so empty, though, ike someone had dug a pit in his stomach. The most unsettling thing was that he had no clue where the real Steve was.

"We have to tell the others," Bucky muttered.

"We have to _go,_ Bucky," Sam insisted. "Someone's gonna call the cops."

And for once, shit, Sam was right. Bucky bit the inside of his cheek and buried his pistol back into its holster. "And what to do we do about this thing?" he asked.

Sam scoffed dryly. "Let it rot?" he suggested.

Bucky shrugged and straightened up. "Yeah... Yeah, sounds good."

As they walked out of the house, Bucky struggled to wrap his head around what had just happened. This meant two things: Bucky had been acting friends with an alien, and also that Steve was probably still somewhere in the quantum realm. The thought of that terrified him. With Stark gone, what did this mean? Could Bruce send them on another time heist?

Did they even have the technology to bring Steve back?


	2. Chapter 2

Clint was never too fond of making his house the new, temporary Avengers headquarters, but where else did they have to go? The compound had been destroyed during the battle against Thanos and Pepper simply refused to let them meet at her house. They understood, of course. After all, she still had to take care of Morgan, who still had to go to school, eat dinner, watch cartoons, and do all the other things kids should be allowed to do while still going to bed at a reasonable hour. The Avengers would just get in the way of that. Besides, no child should have to be exposed to what superheroes are exposed to, especially not Morgan Stark. So, when Sam called Clint and told him they needed to see everyone available as soon as possible, the archer was quick to set up a meeting.

When Sam and Bucky arrived together, they were one of the first to show, with the exception of, of course, Carol Danvers and James Rhodes. Among them were also Bruce Banner, Scott Lang, Hope Van Dyne, and more, who all showed up at around the same time and fairly quickly. To Bucky's relief, it didn't take long at all to get the meeting started.

"We just don't understand what this means," Sam said, after he and Bucky had spent a good while explaining what they had been observing when it came to Steve's behavior (even though that _wasn't _Steve) and how they came to expose the impostor. "It just... It wasn't Steve. And we don't know where the real Steve is."

"You said this was a shapeshifter?" Carol piped up, arms crossed over her chest as she leaned back in her chair. After Sam's nod, she continued. "What did it look like?"

"Uh... An ugly ass thing, I can tell you... Green, kinda goblin-looking..."

"A skrull," Carol determined.

"A _who?"_

"A skrull," she repeated, sitting up. "They're shapeshifters. Green and goblin-looking, just like you said. I met plenty of them back in '95. It's gotta be one of them."

"Now, hold on," Nick Fury interrupted. "I distinctly remember you telling me that they have to _look at_ who they're imitating before they can shift."

"That wasn't me," Carol said. "That was Talos that told you that."

"Okay, well." Fury put a hand on his hip, leaning one hand on a nearby counter. _"Talos _said that, then. How the hell is this skrull supposed to change into Raisin Steve without looking at him first?"

"It probably just found some old man that has some resemblance to Captain Rogers and copied that," Carol concluded.

"I mean, I don't really care about the technicalities," Bucky said sharply. "I care about where the real Steve is at now."

Everyone fell silent for a moment, like no one had a clear answer, either. Bucky feared that that was probably the case. Bruce leaned forward, large hands clasped together against his mouth, seemingly deep in thought. To Bucky, it seemed he'd have an answer. At least, that was what he hoped.

"What if he's still in a timeline?" Bruce finally suggested. "Or the quantum realm?"

Silence again. To say that that theory had everyone a little nervous was an understatement. It was one thing if Steve was still in a timeline, ready to come back. It was another if he was trapped in the quantum realm, where reality had little play in how things worked. See, Bucky barely understood the whole time travel thing, but he was intrigued by the science of it when he found out about it. He wasn't anymore. In his head, he knew there was one more option that Bruce hadn't mentioned, probably for everyone's peace of mind. It was a grim possibility though, and a very likely one.

Steve could be _dead._

"If that's the case, one of us is gonna have to go find him," Scott said.

"Or all of us," Hope added.

"Another time heist!" Scott said hopefully, looking to Hope with wide eyes. When met with her furrowed brows and shaking head, his face fell and he looked down. "We don't have to call it another time heist."

"Well, it'd take time," Bruce chimed in. "I'd have to look at Tony's work again, develop more particles, reboot the travelling device..." He sighed and settled his hands over his mouth again. "I thought we were done with all this crap..."

"How much time will it take?" Bucky asked anxiously. He didn't want to wait too long to see Steve again.

"I'm not sure," Bruce responded. "A month, maybe two..." Bucky felt himself grow impatient and angry, but settled when he noticed how _tired _Bruce looked. He'd get it done. They had time.

"Okay..." Bucky muttered, settling into his seat and looking down.

Bucky was a bit surprised when Hope, a woman he barely knew, tilted her head and spoke. "Are you okay, James?"

He was a little uncomfortable answering truthfully, honestly. So, he simplified his answer. "I just hope Steve's okay..." With that, he felt a hand clasp onto his shoulder. He looked over to Sam, who was smiling weakly at him.

"We'll find him," he reassured him quietly. Bucky simply nodded and looked around at everyone. So it was obvious. Bucky wanted nothing more than to see his best friend again.

"There's nothing left to do than to get started," Carol stated. "And we'll need all the help we can get. Who else is available?"

"The only person on Earth who isn't here is Wanda," Clint responded. "But I don't know where she's at."

"She'll turn up," Sam chimed in. "She's either busy or being a hermit. Either is probable."

Clint huffed a quiet laugh. "Probably," he muttered. The conversation died from there. Everyone, even those who barely knew Steve, seemed to realize the grim reality of him being gone. He had always been the leader, the beating heart of the Avengers, and just thinking about him being gone seemed to leave people feeling uneasy. Bucky knew, though, that nothing could compare to what he was feeling. To him, Steve was more than Captain America. Steve was his best friend, his other half, hell, maybe even his soulmate. He had no shame in saying that he loved Steve. So, it was pretty clear. He had to do something, _everything__. _Whatever it took to ensure Steve's safety. After all, Bucky knew he'd do the same. He already had.

Bruce wasn't lying when he said that getting everything ready would take a month's time. The meeting at Clint's house was held in mid March, and there they met again in late April. They stood around Clint's backyard, large and open enough to set up everything they would need. Sam and Bucky were the first ones there yet again, arriving together. Clint was watching as Bruce typed things into the computer that didn't even seem like English to Bucky. Then again, it probably wasn't. He didn't care, though. As long as it brought Steve back.

Gearing up was a bit strange for Bucky, as well, seeing as he had never done it before. A lot of the people helping hadn't either, with the exception of Bruce and Clint. Thor, according to Clint's reports, was still unavailable. "Official Guardians of the Galaxy business," he apparently had called it. Fortunately, however, Wanda had showed up, equally as confused with how to get the gear on. Everyone was quick to assist everyone, though, and soon they were ready to take off.

"So," Sam said to Wanda as they stepped up to the platform with Bucky. "Ever time traveled before?"

Blankly, Wanda responded, "I haven't."

"I don't think any of us have," Sam said. "'Cept for Clint and Bruce."

"Yeah..." Wanda looked to Bruce nervously, then at Sam and Bucky.

"Nervous?" Sam asked, and Wanda nodded. She looked noticeably pale. Reassuringly, Sam put a hand on her shoulder and smiled. "We'll be alright." He then looked to Bucky. "And so will Steve. Let's do this."

"You sure you're ready?" Bruce asked.

"As ready as we'll ever be," Sam responded.

"Alright." Bruce typed some more jargon into the computer, then began to fire up the machinery. "Sending off in 5... 4... 3... 2..."

Before even hearing a "one", Bucky... well, he couldn't even begin to describe what he felt. Everything was black and colorful, silent and loud, all at once. He felt dizzy, like he felt on those Coney Island roller coasters way back when. Before he knew it, though, his feet were back on the ground in a place he... sort of recognized. It seemed to be some sort of alleyway. When Bucky turned his head, he noticed the cars going by. They were in Brooklyn. _His _Brooklyn.

"Steve must have visited this timeline to return a stone," Wanda noted.

Deactivating his suit, Sam nodded. "How do we even begin to look for a man lost in time?"

Bucky shrugged while also deactivating his. "Start looking."

And they did, failing miserably in the process. They had no clue as to where they would even _begin _searching. Bucky had a few ideas - downtown, around their old apartment building, one of Steve's favorite bridges (who on Earth has a favorite bridge?) - nowhere. Steve was nowhere. They decided to go into another alleyway, empty and dark, seemingly at their wit's end.

"Maybe we need to check another timeline," Sam suggested.

"The rest of the team's split up into all the other timelines he had to visit," Bucky rebutted.

It was at that moment when Wanda burst into tears. Real, wailing, sobbing tears, like someone or something had seriously hurt her. Sam and Bucky immediately directed their attention to her, seeing that she had now covered her face to hide.

"Hey, hey," Sam began quietly, placing his hand on the younger girl's back. "What's wrong?"

Wanda didn't answer. She just let the sobs rack through her body and backed up against the brick wall behind them. She sounded terrified.

"Wanda," Sam said, louder this time but still gentle. "You have to talk to us, kid. We know it's tough..."

Still no answer. Instead, she shook her head.

"We can't help you unless you tell us how."

"I can't!" Wanda cried as a violent sob pulled from her throat. She just kept repeating that. "I can't, I can't tell you!"

Bucky and Sam exchanged looks as she continued to cry. This girl knew something, they decided, and something was keeping her from letting it out.

"Wanda..." Bucky began slowly. "Do you know where Steve is at?"


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> AN: this one might be a little lengthy. whoops.

At Bucky's question, Wanda only cried harder and louder, which, in Bucky's mind, was another way of saying yes.

"Where is he?" Bucky asked.

_"I can't tell you!" _Wanda shouted.

"Wanda, please!" Bucky begged, reaching out to grab Wanda's shoulders. He stopped himself quickly; he couldn't _do that _anymore. It _scared _people. So, he refrained and took a breath. "Please... tell me where he is..."

Wanda closed her eyes tight and looked down. "You don't understand..." she whispered. "I can't... I _can't, _James-"

"-Wanda."

Wanda looked up to meet Sam's eyes.

"We need our friend back, Wanda... and we can't get him back without your help. But... I can tell there's something holding you back. You don't have to be afraid... We're here to protect you, Wanda. So, please. Tell us where he is."

A few moments passed before Wanda took a deep breath. "He's not here."

"Well, then, we suit back up and head to the right timeline," Sam said.

"We won't need the suits."

Confused, Sam and Bucky exchanged a glance. Wanda was shaking when she took a few steps deeper into the alley, hands glowing red. Bucky watched in both astonishment and concern, because what the hell did Wanda need her powers for? Even further to his concern, Wanda _grabbed _the air, and had a firm grip on it.

Then, she ripped.

A portal, bound by her hands, had opened up, glowing red and portraying a gloomy scene on the other side.

"And we have to be very, _very _careful," Wanda added, voice shaking more than it had before.

Sam and Bucky didn't say a word as Wanda stretched the portal wider and reluctantly stepped in. They could see her on the other side, standing there and holding the portal open. Neither of them moved.

_"Hurry!" _Wanda hissed. Again, Sam and Bucky looked to each other.

"I'm not goin' in there first," Sam said. Sighing, Bucky looked ahead and walked towards the portal. It was just like stepping over something. He didn't feel any change within himself at all like he had when they traveled between timelines. It just got colder. And darker. Sam followed close behind.

Looking around, Bucky felt nothing but dread. It looked like the outside had been scorched, almost... almost resembling the fake nuclear fallout scenes people used to draw back in the days of the Cold War. He remembered those, vaguely. The clouds that cloaked the sky were a dark, fiery red, swelling and swirling angrily like magma. A single, amber street lamp lit the road around them, and ahead of Bucky was a tall building. It looked like an apartment building. Looking around, he noticed there was nothing else. Just a long, blacktop road that eventually faded into blackness along with the rest of the realm, and an apartment building.

"Inside. Quickly." When Bucky turned to her, he saw that she kept her guard up, hands and eyes a bright red. His nerves spiked at the sight. _W__hat was Wanda be protecting them from? Or was she just protecting herself?_

Wanda led them to the building, using her powers to swing the doors open. It seemed that she didn't want to drop the act for even a second, so she used her powers to do just about everything. Additionally, Bucky's suspicions were correct. They were in an apartment building.

"He's here."

Sam chimed in this time. "Where is-?"

Bucky blinked and the room numbers went from starting with "1" to starting with "7". They were on a different floor.

"Okay..." Sam looked just as worried as Bucky felt. "Which room is Steve's?"

Wanda looked to Sam, then to Bucky, then walked a few steps toward a door. _765\. _"Knock," she muttered.

Sam looked at Bucky again, but didn't make any move. He wanted him to knock. Bucky tightened his lips, looked to the door, and stepped towards it, wondering if Steve really was in that very apartment. God, he had so many questions. He just hoped someone could answer them for him. Hesitantly, Bucky gave a few light knocks. Nothing happened for a moment or two. Then, Bucky felt his heart stop.

_"Who's there?"_

Bucky could have fainted. It was Steve. Steve's voice. Steve was talking to him. The _real _Steve. At least, that was what Bucky hoped.

"Let us in," Wanda called. Another pause.

_"Us?"_

"Open the door, Steve."

Time seemed to slow when Bucky watched the door knob turn. Then, the door began to open. Slowly, slowly, slowly...

Then, he saw his face.

Steve opened the door further at the sight of Bucky, and Bucky still didn't know what to say. The beard was back, which struck Bucky as odd. It had only been six months, but the beard was thick, and Bucky knew Steve didn't grow facial hair that fast, even with the serum. Despite having reunited, neither of them smiled. In fact, Steve looked scared. It only worried Bucky more to wonder why.

"Why are they here?" Steve asked Wanda in a hushed voice.

"They were asking for you," she responded. Still, she hadn't let the red glowing fade.

"They're not supposed to be here."

"They insisted."

Steve stared blankly at Wanda. For once in Bucky's life, he couldn't read the man's expression. It just looked like... nothing. He saw nothing. Wanda spoke again.

"Let us in, Steve."

Reluctantly, Steve stepped aside. Upon noticing Sam and Bucky's hesitancy, Wanda was the first to walk inside. The two friends followed close behind.

Looking around, Bucky noted that the apartment looked nothing like Steve. Although a fairly decent size, it was dimly lit and minimalist. The kitchen, connected to the living room, contained nothing but a stove, a single counter, a refrigerator, and a microwave upon that counter. The living room had a limp couch and a coffee table. No television. No desk. No paintings on the yellowed walls or Polaroid photographs pinned up. No framed photos of Peggy, or the two of them on the base from way back when. Nothing to Bucky screamed the name of his best friend. Much like Steve's expression, the place looked desolate. Bucky wanted to say something, but nobody spoke a word.

"What have you done today, Steve?" Wanda suddenly asked.

"Nothing," Steve answered quickly. Bucky didn't like the fast pace at which Steve was functioning. Even his breathing seemed shorter and quicker. There was one more odd thing about the apartment that Bucky noted: It didn't have windows. Bucky's suspicion heightened. Why the hell were they here? What was keeping them?

"Steve, I-" Bucky stopped. He was probably being too abrupt, so he started again. "I'd like to talk to you. Alone, if... you don't mind." He looked to Wanda and Sam. Wanda looked concerned. Sam looked just as perplexed about the situation as he was.

It took a moment for Steve to reply. That was the odd thing. He either answered questions too quickly or too slowly. "Okay..." At his response, Wanda sighed and looked to Sam, nodding him over to the hallway. They walked out to the hallway, closing the door behind them. Steve never took his eyes off of Bucky, as if studying him. "What is it?" he asked quietly.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Bucky asked.

"Like what?"

"Like you don't know me."

There was a pause. "You shouldn't be here-"

"No, _you _shouldn't be here, Steve. What's going on?"

"I'm fine, Bucky," Steve said with a smile. He looked around the apartment. "I'm fine. I have everything I need here. I'm fine."

Bucky raised an eyebrow. Everything about Steve was so off-putting. Sure, he was smiling, but the rest of his face looked... blank. It felt like looking in a mirror. Bucky was looking at his old self - the Bucky that Steve helped through fears and traumas. And Bucky knew what caused people to act like that: Other people. So, who was hurting Steve bad enough to effect him like _this? _

Finally, the brunette spoke. "This is fine to you?"

Steve turned to him, furrowing his brows a bit. That was the most expressiveness Bucky had seen from him since they first locked eyes in this... place.

"Everything about this place lacks what makes you... _you, _Steve. No paintings, no photos... not even a damn window or two! I mean... don't you remember what _our _apartment looked like? Your side of the bedroom was covered wall to wall in sketches. Your bed was never made and you kept your clothes in a dresser that you painted that one time your Ma brought home paint." He felt a smile form at the corner of his mouth. "You were so happy that day. When she brought you _real _paint. It was the first time you'd ever used it. You-"

"I know what I did," Steve snapped. "It's different now. I'm better off here."

"What makes you think that, Stevie?" Bucky insisted. "What makes you think that this—" he gestured around the room— "is good for you?" He paused. "_Who _makes you think that?"

That seemed to strike a chord with Steve. His expression fell even more, twisted into something of anger and resentment. "I'm _fine _right where I am Bucky. Don't get involved-"

"What, and leave you hanging?! You'd have never done the same to me!"

"You're not safe here, Bucky! Just go home and leave me here!"

"Why am I not safe here? Who's keeping you?!"

_"Get out!"_

_"I'm not going anywhere without you, Steve!"_

By then, Wanda had reentered the room. The anger in Steve's eyes had Bucky backing away a bit. This wasn't the man he thought he knew.

"You have to, Bucky," Steve said lowly. "You have to leave me here. Leave Wanda here. Leave-" He paused. "Just go. Sam, too."

Bucky turned to Wanda. "He's coming with us, Wanda," he said, much to Steve's disapproval. He interjected before Wanda could get a word out.

"No, I'm not, Wanda. You know I can't."

"But that's why we're here," she replied, and Bucky felt a wave of relief wash over him. Wanda was okay with it, too. They could bring Steve home.

"What's got you so hung up on staying?" Sam asked rather abruptly, seeing as he hadn't spoken much throughout the entire scenario. "This place looks depressing!"

"God, why does everyone keep _asking _me that?!" Steve shouted. "Look, I can't tell you! I can't tell either of you! Because if I tell you, she'll fucking _find _us, and none of us will make it out of here! She hears everything we say! She knows you're here! You need to leave now before she-"

_"Who the hell is 'she'?!" _Bucky demanded.

"Jesus, Bucky! Would you stop with the questions and _get out already?!"_

_"I already told you, Steve! I'm not leaving without you!"_

_"You'll fucking die if you don't!"_

Bucky felt the anger rising in him. The frustration, the confusion, the _hurt. _What was going on in their world?! Everything felt strange and wrong and not like it was. Steve wasn't Steve anymore. Bucky no longer knew this man. Oh, how the roles have reversed. He felt like screaming, like grabbing Steve by the collar and shaking him from side to side until he snapped out of it. Before he could even open his mouth to talk, however, Wanda was heading over to Steve to grab his wrist. The redness glowing through her translucent skin brightened, and Steve seemed to calm.

"We'll leave if you'd prefer that," Wanda muttered. "But we can't stay away for long."

"You can't leave me," Steve responded just as quietly. "You know what will happen if-"

"I know," Wanda said. "I'll be back. I just have to get them home safely... You'll be joining them one day. I hope it'll be soon..."

Steve paused. "Tell Buck that I'm sorry..."

Wanda smiled softly. "I will, Steve... Stay safe. Keep an eye out."

She slowly backed away from Steve, who was now visibly calmer, and turned to Bucky and Sam. "Come on."

"But we can't leave without h-"

Before Sam could finish, they were back outside, under the red, swelling sky. Bucky looked to Wanda with worry.

"Who was he talking about?"

"Me," Wanda replied flatly. She opened the portal again. At the other end was Clint's backyard. "We'll try again tomorrow. He should be more himself by then."

"Well, God, I hope so," Sam muttered. It seemed neither of them wanted to comment on Steve seeming scared of _Wanda. _As they re-entered Clint's backyard, Bucky felt empty and confused. No one had yet returned, but Bruce was still by the computer, looking to them with extreme perplexion.

"Don't..." Sam began, looking to Bucky and taking a breath, "Don't ask."

And Bruce didn't. The two friends walked into the house and sat down in the living room in utter silence, both wrapped up in their own thoughts. Nothing was as it seemed anymore. Wanda and Steve both seemed to be so unstable and emotional. Scared was the correct term for it. They were scared of something... someone. So it didn't make sense for _Wanda _to be the one keeping Steve in chains, Bucky determined, because Wanda seemed just as scared. It seemed there was only one thing left to do.

Question everything.


	4. Chapter 4

_"Hey-! Ow!"_

_The little boy slammed into a fence and fell onto his bottom, looking up at the other boys with anger._

_"What're ya gonna do about it?" one of them, a redheaded boy with freckles, sneered. "Run to Mommy?"_

_"You've always been a little mama's boy, haven't ya?" another boy added, throwing his candy wrapper at the little boy crouched against the fence._

_"Leave me alone!" the little boy pleaded. When he went to get up, the redhead kicked him to the ground. "Hey!"_

_"What'd'ya say, boys?" The redhead grabbed the little boy by the collar, to which the little boy tried to wriggle out of his grip. It was no use. The redhead just kicked him in the stomach as punishment. "Let's rough him up real good and make him cry for his mommy!"_

_The other boys laughed as the smallest one continued to try and get away. "You jerks!" he cried, landing a punch on the redhead's fist. "Let me go!"_

_"You hit like a girl!" the redhead teased, earning more laughter from the other boys. He threw the little boy to the ground again and kicked him. He raised a fist to punch him, when suddenly-_

_"Hey! Pick on someone your own size, punks!"_

_The little boy looked up just as something hard thwacked the redhead on the side of face, causing him to yelp and grab onto his injury. Another boy, looking around his age, came running into view, hands full of smaller rocks that he began to throw at the other boys. They all scurried off in an instant, hollering curse words and other nonsense._

_"And don't let me catch you hangin' 'round here again!" the brunette boy cried, throwing the rest of his rocks out of his hands. Once he was sure the boys had gone, he turned to the smaller one. "Hey. You okay?"_

_The little boy winced and got up to his feet. "Yeah," he replied. "I'm okay. Thanks."_

_"Oh, no problem," the brunette responded. "I hate those punks anyhow." He offered the smaller boy a smile, and it became clear that he was missing a front tooth._

_"Um - Have you always had...?" The younger boy trailed off, pointing to his own mouth, to which the brunette laughed._

_"Oh, yeah!" he answered. "I'm just waitin' for it to grow in!" He then extended his hand out. "I'm James. Friends call me Bucky."_

_The little boy smiled and shook his hand. "Steve."_

_"Nice to meet ya, Steve," James replied. "What were you doin' here anyway?"_

_"Walkin' home..." Steve responded, looking down. "I had a couple things to buy for my mama. She's real sick right now..."_

_"Aw, I'm sorry to hear that." James shoved his hands in his pockets and looked around. "Want someone to walk with ya?"_

_Steve shrugged. "Why not?" he replied. "In case those jerks ever come 'round again..."_

_James smiled and threw an arm around Steve, letting him lead the way. "I think you could'a handled 'em."_

_Steve laughed quietly. "So then, why'd ya help me?"_

_"Well, I hate 'em, too," James replied with a laugh. "Ol' Jack and Danny and George and Rob... They're all punks. Can't stand 'em."_

_Steve laughed, too. "That makes two of us."_

_"See?" James said with a grin. "We're already gettin' along."_

_"Well, gee. Thanks, James."_

_"Call me Bucky."_

They waited a few days before gearing up to go again. The rest of the group was made well aware of Steve's location, and, of course, they all had the same reaction: "What the hell?" Nobody came along with Sam, Bucky, and Wanda this time, and no one of the three stayed behind. Out of everyone in the world, those three would be the people Steve would be most used to seeing, and the others understood that well. Standing out in Clint's backyard, the three had brief conversations with everyone before getting ready to leave. Bucky looked to Fury and asked him one last question.

"Hey..." he began slowly. He had always felt a little intimidated by Fury, ever since... well... the events of 2014. But Fury seemed to have forgiven him. "When Steve comes back here, do you think... Do you think you all could be inside or something? I just think it might be a little overwhelming for him if that were to be the first thing he saw..."

Fury gave him a knowing grin. "I understand," he replied, to which Bucky smiled.

"Thank you." Bucky began to turn away.

"Hey, Sergeant?"

"Yes?" He turned back around.

"Bring him home."

With a soft smile, Bucky nodded and turned back around, meeting with Sam and Wanda. They all exchanged nods, and then Wanda opened the portal with her glowing red hands.

The apartment building felt a little more familiar this time, but Bucky still couldn't shake the dread he was feeling. What was new this time, though, was that they ended up on the fifth floor instead.

"Uh..." Bucky began. "I thought he was on the seventh-"

"There's something I didn't show you last time," Wanda stated. "Some_one. _I didn't know if I was ready."

Sam and Bucky both looked at each other with an odd expression as Wanda approached room number 520 and knocked. The person behind this door gave the same response Steve did.

"Who is it?"

At first, Bucky didn't recognize the voice, and then he realized... by God, it was _Natasha._ From his knowledge, Natasha was dead. How in the hell was it possible?

"It's me," Wanda replied. "I brought a couple of people along."

"You- _what?"_

"I know. No one's here to hurt you, though. Open the door."

Slowly, the door opened and, this time, the person behind it stepped out. Unlike Steve, Natasha looked remotely the same. Her hair, however, now reached just below her chest, and her eyes had sunken in with dark circles. Instead of Steve's constant paranoid, bewildered look, Natasha looked tired and depressed, as if she had been through this before and had no willpower to stop it. Bucky knew her, knew what she was feeling, and he wasn't surprised at all when he saw the tears well up in her eyes.

"Oh my God..." she whispered, cupping her hands over her mouth. She walked over to Sam and Bucky carefully, before taking her time to hug them both. Quickly, though, she pulled away and turned to Wanda. "What are they doing here?"

"We're getting out," Wanda explained. "And Steve's coming, too."

"But what about...?" She trailed off, looking to Sam and Bucky, then back to Wanda.

"We'll worry about that when the time comes," Wanda said. "What's more important to me — to _us _— is that we get you two out of here safely."

Natasha looked away, thinking carefully. "Okay..." she said quietly. "Okay... Let's go, then..."

"Hold on." Sam looked to Natasha. "Before we go and get Steve, can I ask how you're... alive?"

Natasha looked back at Sam and smiled softly. It was such a broken smile, Bucky noticed. "Steve saved my life," she said in almost a whisper. "He exchanged the soul stone for my life... A soul for a soul."

"So, you must've been with him when you two were taken..."

Natasha just nodded, smile quickly fading. In the blink of an eye, they were on floor seven. Wanda knocked on Steve's door.

"Me again, Steve," she announced, then spoke again when there was a long bit of silence. "I... brought Natasha this time."

That's what got the door to open that time around. He looked at Wanda blankly.

"You'll have to step out here if you want to see her," she said, but he made no such move. "It's not a trap..."

"I don't know how well I believe that."

"Steve," Natasha said, stepping over next to Wanda. "I'm right here, Steve. You're okay to come out."

When Steve slowly exited his apartment, it didn't take long for the two friends to melt into each other's arms, holding on tightly. A part of Bucky wondered why Steve relaxed like that for Natasha, but not for Sam or himself. Then, he realized... they had fought this battle together. Seeing Natasha probably meant the world to Steve.

Steve soon caught sight of Sam and Bucky, pulling away from Natasha and looking at Wanda. "Don't tell me..." he started.

"We have to go, Steve," Wanda said. "I know it's scary and I know it's a tough transition, but we have to go..."

"Well, it's easy for you to say!" Steve blurted out. "You've been able to come and go as you please! Natasha and I haven't seen so much as the sky for _six years!"_

Bucky furrowed his brows in confusion. _Six years? _It had only been six months. Time must have passed differently in this realm. No wonder Steve was going crazy...

"Hey, Steve?" Natasha smiled softly and grabbed his hand. He seemed to calm immediately just looking at her. "How long's it been since I last saw you?"

"Oh, God..." Steve thought for a moment. "Three years, maybe..."

"Three years sounds about right," she said in that same soothing tone. Something about their exchange made something in Steve's brain click. He looked to Wanda, then to Bucky and Sam.

"Let's go..."

Everyone seemed tense as they left the apartment building. Bucky watched as Steve looked up at the angry sky, as if telling it goodbye. Natasha looked straight ahead, the way she always did when she walked. And as Wanda opened up the portal, no one moved to step through it, so Sam cleared his throat.

"I'll be the first," he offered. He walked through the portal, and Bucky followed.

They turned to watch Natasha and Steve take their first steps into the real world for the first time in what felt to them like years. Even under a cloudy sky, they both squinted heavily, as if it hurt their eyes, then it occurred to Bucky that it probably did. They had spent so much time trapped with hardly even a memory of what the sky once looked like or felt like against their skin... Bucky knew how it felt. He knew _deeply._ He watched as they looked at each other and did their best to smile. Then, Steve looked at Bucky. For the first time since he found him again, he didn't look afraid of him.

"Welcome home," Bucky said softly.

Steve smiled a bit. _Smiled. _And Bucky knew that he'd give anything to see that smile even more.

"This is Clint's house," Natasha muttered, then looked to Wanda and spoke again with more clarity. "I wanna see him. He doesn't know I'm alive. Where is he?"

"He's inside," Wanda answered. "I can get him, if you'd like."

"Please..."

Wanda nodded and turned to Sam and Bucky. "Stay here." She then walked towards the house, disappearing for a few minutes. They were silent while they waited, and then Wanda reappeared, with Clint at her side.

Bucky heard the breath catch in Natasha's throat. As Clint stepped forward, he began to internalize that the fiery redhead before him was his best friend, alive and well. His pace quickened, and then he broke into a run, and Natasha was surging forward to meet him in the middle. Both were in tears by the time they embraced.

"Oh my God..." Bucky heard Clint whisper. "Oh my _God..." _He pulled away to look at her, tears running down his face. "How are you alive? I mean, it's not a bad thing. Not at all." They laughed tearfully. "But, I watched you. I was there. You were gone, Nat..."

Natasha just smiled, then turned to Steve. "You have him to thank." She looked to Clint again, taking his hand. "A soul for a soul."

That seemed to make Clint understand, and he wiped his tears to approach Steve. "Thank you so much... Oh my _God, _are you two okay?" He looked between the two wildly.

"Uh..." Steve looked around. "We're here." To Bucky, that was just a fancy way of saying no, he was, in fact, not okay.

"We have to get you inside," Clint said. "Everyone's waiting for you, Steve. They have no idea about Nat-!"

"Wait," Steve interrupted. _"Everyone?"_

"Yeah! Fury and Danvers and Bruce and Scott... We've all been waiting for Wanda to bring you back safely."

Steve took a deep breath. "Everyone..." he repeated.

"We can wait to go inside," Wanda said to him softly.

"You can stay with me and Sam," Bucky offered to him quietly. "We have a little apartment in the city."

"No," Steve said quietly. "No, that's okay. The city seems like a little much for me right now. Just... that's a lot of people, Clint. This is the most eventful few weeks I've had in years."

Weeks and years. In the real world, it had only been days and months. Who was gonna tell them?

"There's... one more thing," Wanda began. Seemed she was going to, Bucky thought. "It's only been six months since you two were taken."

They were silent for a moment until Steve spoke. "Okay..." He sat down on the ground, seeming to pale. Bucky was sitting by his side in an instant. "Okay... This isn't... Wow. Okay..."

"Are you okay?" Bucky muttered.

"No," Steve answered quickly. "No, I'm not. Oh my God..." From the shortness of his breath, Bucky almost thought for a moment that he was having an asthma attack. That was impossible, though. "Why didn't..." He looked up at Wanda. "Why didn't you tell us, Wanda...?"

"I couldn't tell you anything," Wanda said softly. "I'm sorry." She looked over at Clint. "Tell them that we've secured Steve, but he'd rather not see everyone right now. Natasha can go in if she wants."

"I think I'd rather stay with Steve," Natasha said, and Wanda nodded.

"Okay," she said. "That's fine... Clint?" Clint just nodded, then turned to walk into his house. When Wanda looked back, Steve had tears in his eyes, but he did his best to blink them back. Sam dared to kneel down and put a hand on his back, and Steve let him.

"Hey," Sam said quietly. "I know the city doesn't seem like the best idea for you right now, but we can get you to our apartment. You can take all the time you need to adjust. Maybe the city will bring back some memories and you can reconnect a little bit?"

"There's people there," was all Steve managed to say.

"I know, but Bucky and I will be there, too. You can trust us. You can stand by the fire escape and look at the sky. Or you can sit around and try to make sense of everything. It's completely up to you, Steve."

Steve went silent as he thought, hands gripping into the grass. Bucky knew what he was doing. He was trying to channel the overwhelming anxiety he felt into something physical, without hurting himself or others. Bucky used to do the same exact thing.

"I'll go," Steve finally decided softly. "Just... Don't tell anyone I'm there. Please. I can't handle seeing anymore people."

Bucky nodded with understanding, then looked around to the others. They also seemed to understand. "Okay," he said to Steve. "We'll get you to the apartment."

Bucky felt lucky to have Sam helping him out. They brought Steve to the car while Clint, Natasha, and Wanda went inside the house to tell the others about the situation. Steve didn't say anything while Sam drove, and Bucky sat in the back to keep a close eye on his friend. There was something different in Steve's eyes, Bucky noted, as he watched traffic soar by. He didn't look relieved. He looked even more terrified before, enough for Bucky to start to question if they made a mistake. No, they couldn't have. Steve would be happier this way.

Unless, of course, something worse was coming.


End file.
